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bad form?


kitten8777

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Either is fine.

Some people carry little kits along with a piece or mini roll of duct tape, a spare log (usually for micros) and maybe a replacement baggie. Keeps the hide going until the CO can do maintenance. If you "fix" anything, make sure you mention it in the log.

It's really up to you.

- Good question !

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Minor or temporary repairs are good...

Major repairs should fall to the CO with a Needs Maintenance log.

 

The main reasoning behind that distinction is that if the CO won't do the maintenance, then the cache should be (eventually) archived, at which point a more responsive CO could place a cache.

 

Any cache is subjected to normal wear and tear, what with various folks accessing it.

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Minor or temporary repairs are good...

Major repairs should fall to the CO with a Needs Maintenance log.

 

Agreed. If a cache lid is cracked, I'm happy to donate some duct tape. Same with adding a sheet if a log is full or replacing a bag if the bag the log is in gets ripped. It's the geocaching equivalent of a band-aid, which I'm happy to do. But I tend to leave the major surgery (replacing a missing cache, moving the cache) to the cache owner.

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We just do minor repairs. I just didn't want to upset anyone by doing it because I saw one cache where the owner said not to replace a log or do any type of repairs. Just want to keep it all in good spirits :)

 

He probably wouldn't mind a slip of paper to tide the cache over until he gets to the cache. It's taking the old log that might upset him. What he really wants is for people to let him know when the cache needs attention. As a CO I'm surprised at the number of times I go out to do maintenance and the cache is in bad shape (the lid didn't get closed properly, it rained, the logbook is damp and moldy) but no one leaves a comment about the condition in the online log.

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We never take logs but we have added more paper, dried out wet caches and taped up lids. I always leave a comment when I log it. I haven't found any too horribly bad yet. We even look a wet log and held it to the vent with the air on to dry it out. I'm excited to get my own out there for everyone to find!

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Minor or temporary repairs are good...

Major repairs should fall to the CO with a Needs Maintenance log

 

IMHO all repairs are good and should be done if possible. For replacement and moreover moving the cache into some other hiding place I would contact the CO first and offer help.

 

The main reasoning behind that distinction is that if the CO won't do the maintenance, then the cache should be (eventually) archived, at which point a more responsive CO could place a cache.

 

Some COs will probably do nothing and then I agree with you. Others may be very responsive, friendly and willing to do maintenance but (for some reasons) cannot do it right now . If I can, why should I just pass by?

 

This is mostly important for geocaches far from civilization.

 

no one leaves a comment about the condition in the online log

 

Maybe they feel themselves a little bit uncomfortable by doing no help where it was so easy to do. On the other hand, they may think that if COs are responsible for their caches, it's up to COs to check the caches regularly - so there's no need to write about their condition.

 

We carry a sack of logs/baggies and have replaced hundreds in the field. I also carry an assortment of containers as well.

 

+1

Edited by -CJ-
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no one leaves a comment about the condition in the online log

 

Maybe they feel themselves a little bit uncomfortable by doing no help where it was so easy to do. On the other hand, they may think that if COs are responsible for their caches, it's up to COs to check the caches regularly - so there's no need to write about their condition.

 

I hope people don't expect a CO to check on a monthly basis. I check most of my boxes twice a year (early spring, late fall). If I get a report of trouble I'll check within a week or two. All of my caches are either authentic lock n locks or ammo cans, so I don't expect them to have any container problems.

 

One of my caches had seen 3 years of outdoor use without any trouble so I didn't expect there to be any water issues. I got a NM report in early July that the contents were moldy. Moldy? That would mean that the cache was damp for a long time, probably shortly after I checked on it in the Spring. I temporarily disabled the cache so no one else would have to deal with mold. I checked 3 days later and it was it was in awful shape. Moldy plus someone left candy which had dissolved. Not something anyone could have cleaned up on their own. The contents had to be removed, the box wiped down and new clean contents and logbook put in. My guess is that someone didn't lock down the lid and water got inside when it rained.

 

Doing small repairs is nice but it's very important to report the condition in the log before it gets out of hand. Some COs like to provide a good caching experience for people and it's embarrassing when, unbeknownst to us, our caches are a gross mess. I left a thank you note to the finder who posted the NM. Now when I post an NM on someone's cache I'll also include a photo of the contents so a CO will know just how bad it is.

 

Minor repairs help, reports on the condition of the cache (including "the cache is in great shape") help as much, if not more.

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when I post an NM on someone's cache I'll also include a photo of the contents so a CO will know just how bad it is

 

Could you please provide an example or two of such situation?

 

That's an excellent idea to document the cache condition.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=0554e3c6-3bf5-4e0a-bad0-1104edd28431

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=6df5502b-141d-4d3a-822c-0fdb96965deb

 

L0ne R's gallery:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?guid=3bd6854d-3f8a-4cf1-a220-761b290e20e0

 

 

B.

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when I post an NM on someone's cache I'll also include a photo of the contents so a CO will know just how bad it is

 

Could you please provide an example or two of such situation?

 

That's an excellent idea to document the cache condition.

 

http://www.geocachin...d0-1104edd28431

 

http://www.geocachin...2c-0fdb96965deb

 

L0ne R's gallery:

 

http://www.geocachin...20-761b290e20e0

 

 

B.

 

Thanks Pup Patrol. Here are a few from the gallery:

 

fdbf7253-f967-40c2-bce9-7e779b025856.jpg

 

The CO visited the cache the next day after I posted this photo.

 

a797addb-b2ab-478a-8bd7-533c500730ca.jpg

 

Notice that the last finder (not me) left a logsheet. But this cache belongs to an active cacher with so many cache hides (#2 hider in our area) that they can't keep up with maintenance. This cache has been in need of repair for with NMs going back to 2008. Now that there's a logsheet the CO has even less reason to go out and maintain their cache.

 

b080da7b-a389-450e-9128-522a9f0c84cd.jpg

 

This cache is just a baggie in a tree. The last NM before mine was a year ago. No response from the CO.

 

 

6da09df7-09a3-4c72-b142-4cb01b20535b.jpg

 

This one was eventually archived. No response from the owner.

Edited by L0ne R
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Oh, I see. Thank you. I read logs that you linked to. E.g. GCP0H6:

 

Lone_R wrote "Just a baggie. The container is gone" (20 Nov, 2012). There are two cachers after that date with "Found it" logs and no comments.

 

At 30 Nov, 2011 the sharps wrote his NM note: "Cache is in a ziplock, no hard container".

 

In March 2011 the CO wrote his maintenance log: "I left a temporary cache bag..."

 

Thus, more than 40 geocachers (since March 2011) knew that there was no container in place they were going to visit. This lasted for almost two years. According to the last photo the logbook eventually gone wet is now in undreadable condition. Some people may have problems writing in it, I believe. The questions: wouldn't it be easier for any of cache visitors just to put a new container there? I think this could save time and nerves, keep the logbook alive, and all this at a little cost.

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Thus, more than 40 geocachers (since March 2011) knew that there was no container in place they were going to visit. This lasted for almost two years. According to the last photo the logbook eventually gone wet is now in undreadable condition. Some people may have problems writing in it, I believe. The questions: wouldn't it be easier for any of cache visitors just to put a new container there? I think this could save time and nerves, keep the logbook alive, and all this at a little cost.

 

In the 2nd photo, someone did just that, left a logsheet. But the cache is gross. I would have cleaned out the cache if I knew the CO cared for his containers and did regular maintenance but there was some issue that was preventing him from getting out to it (broken leg for example). But I know this CO is quite active in the community, a member of caching clubs and associations. Their MO is plant them and forget them. Is it good to send the message that it's ok to abandon caches because the community will keep those caches limping along?

Edited by L0ne R
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So, this is case is specific and your photo must be mostly for a local reviewer, if I understood you correctly. Yes, we here do have similar people that don't care much about their geocaches and under such circumstances I would also think twice before doing any maintenance (frankly, I would most probably avoid visiting such poor geocaches, especially if I have a good choice of other hides around there).

 

If I am so close to the CO that I know not only his geocaching practice but even about his broken leg I think I will simply call/email him and ask what I can do for his cache. In most cases I know nothing (or very little) about COs. Isn't is more reasonable for a cache hunter to do what seems to be better for the cache, for himself (who likes to sign wet logbooks? :) ) and for the following hunters without thinking about personalities whom he actually doesn't know? Don't you think that taking a photo of a unusable wet logbook and posting it to the cache log takes more time of yours (and definitely more time of the CO) than replacing it?

Edited by -CJ-
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So, this is case is specific and your photo must be mostly for a local reviewer, if I understood you correctly. Yes, we here do have similar people that don't care much about their geocaches and under such circumstances I would also think twice before doing any maintenance (frankly, I would most probably avoid visiting such poor geocaches, especially if I have a good choice of other hides around there).

 

If I am so close to the CO that I know not only his geocaching practice but even about his broken leg I think I will simply call/email him and ask what I can do for his cache. In most cases I know nothing (or very little) about COs. Isn't is more reasonable for a cache hunter to do what seems to be better for the cache, for himself (who likes to sign wet logbooks? :) ) and for the following hunters without thinking about personalities whom he actually doesn't know? Don't you think that taking a photo of a unusable wet logbook and posting it to the cache log takes more time of yours (and definitely more time of the CO) than replacing it?

 

Doesn't take much time or effort at all. I have an iPhone with the gc app, so it's easy to snap a photo and include it in my log. I'd still do it, and have done, pre-app when it took a little more effort. l almost always take a photo of the cache for my personal digital photo album, the non-spoilers may get included in the online log.

 

We're both community-minded. You see adding a logsheet to a cache as a community service. For the most part, I agree, especially with caches that don't look abandoned and it would tide the cache over until the owner can get to it. I see posting a photo of the cache condition as a community service to the owner, to the finders who will follow, and to the reviewers who may appreciate some evidence in order to archive an deteriorated abandoned cache.

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Thank you, I respect your arguements. Just wish that there would be less photos of ruined containers at whole :)

 

And

 

You see adding a logsheet to a cache as a community service

 

I see any repairings and cache replacement as a community service - also with hopes that if I do this for a visited cache maybe someone will help to repair my cache some time :)

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Thank you, I respect your arguements. Just wish that there would be less photos of ruined containers at whole :)

 

And

 

You see adding a logsheet to a cache as a community service

 

I see any repairings and cache replacement as a community service - also with hopes that if I do this for a visited cache maybe someone will help to repair my cache some time :)

 

I think what LoneR is suggesting is that in some cases you're not really doing a community service by adding a business car (which you've signed so that you can get credit for the find) into a cache that is otherwise in poor condition and not being maintained. As you noted, there was that one cache that was just a moldy log book in a plastic baggie that 40 people logged as a find after it was noted that the cache had issues. That's a lot of potential cache owners that could have posted a NA log, wait for the local reviewer to archive the cache, then replace it with their own new cache, providing something for future seekers to actually enjoy finding.

 

I've appreciated the perspective that you've brought to the forums as a geocacher from Russia and probably don't need to remind you that geocaching in Russia is probably a lot different than geocaching in southern Ontario, Canada (where Toronto, the largest population center in the country, is located). Although, some of those 40 finders might not live near that cache, and thus couldn't place one in the same spot if it was archived, I suspect there are far fewer potential cache owners where you live that could replace an archived cache. Keeping a cache, even one that requires a fair amount of maintenance, is probably a higher priority when there are only a few caches in an area and only a few geocachers that could place new caches.

Edited by NYPaddleCacher
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don't need to remind you that geocaching in Russia is probably a lot different than geocaching in southern Ontario, Canada

 

This is why I'm trying to learn as much useful from these forums as I can without being afraid of looking as a newbie :) For instance, I understood quite clearly the idea that

 

a lot of potential cache owners that could have posted a NA log, wait for the local reviewer to archive the cache, then replace it with their own new cache, providing something for future seekers to actually enjoy finding

 

Then what do you think - why it hasn't happen in almost two years and after more than 40 visits?

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Then what do you think - why it hasn't happen in almost two years and after more than 40 visits?

 

That is a good question. My experience is that a LOT of people won't post an NM log and maybe 1% of geocachers would post an NA.

 

In this case, the owners are still active. They logged into the site today. They found caches yesterday. They've been caching for almost 10 years. Are known amongst the local caching community. Attend events. Nice people but slack when it comes to maintaining caches. My guess, finders don't want to ruffle any feathers. Many active owners feel insulted when someone posts an NA on one of their cache(s). Even I (having posted 11 NAs) hesitate to post an NA on an active owner. It's much easier to post the NA when the cache is obviously abandoned by a CO that isn't playing anymore.

Edited by L0ne R
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And that was a good answer, LOne_R, thank you. I just doubt that all 40 geocachers knew this specific situation as good as you. Perhaps they (as you said) didn't want to raise noise but I would say it's possible that people simply don't care. They're happy with their "I found it!" and leave everything else to COs. Perhaps if (in this case) there was not even a wet logbook there would be less visitors but more NMs. Am I right?

 

It's very important to me to understand general style of playing the game because (as it was already said) geocaching has been played a bit differently here. I would probably be upset with a visitor posting a NA or NM message to any of my geocaches and even posting a photo of a soaked logbook; after this conversation I will most probably still be upset :) but now I see more reasonable motives behind such actions, so thank you again.

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Here in the UK it's pretty common for cachers to put a NM log on a cache - We had one on one of our caches a few days ago and I added a note thanking them for notifying us: The Queen Victoria Inn

 

We have put NA logs on a few caches over the years in circumstances where there's been a string of DNFs (on a fairly easy rated cache) - or several NM logs and other logs stating that the cache is in poor condition, with no response from the cache owner. We usually log a NM first, asking if the owner would kindly check on their cache and then, if they make no response in the next 3-4 weeks, we add a NA with a request that the local reviewer has a look at the current situation. It's always the reviewer who makes the final judgement after all.

 

MrsB

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